Smoke Jensen, The Beginning (A Smoke Jensen Novel of the West Book 1)

Name: Smoke Jensen, The Beginning (A Smoke Jensen Novel of the West Book 1)
Price: 1.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (3262 reviews)
Author: William W. Johnstone

by William W. Johnstone

Historical Fiction Literary Fiction

4.6 (3,262)

4.6 stars from 3,262 reviews. Top 67% of Historical Fiction books we track.

313 pages~5.2 hr readPublished 2015-01-01

$1.99Deal74% off peak

Last checked: Jun 7, 2026

Price history: $0.99 – $7.59

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Price range: $0.99 – $7.59

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Fans of these authors will like this...

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True Grit
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Perfect for you if...

You love classic Westerns with authentic historical detail and aren't squeamish about the brutal realities of 1860s frontier life.
You're drawn to origin stories that show how violence and loss shape a man into a legend.
You've read Johnstone before and want to see how the most iconic gunslinger got his start.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer character-driven literary fiction over plot-heavy action sequences.
You're looking for stories that examine the moral cost of violence rather than celebrate frontier justice.
You want novels set in modern times or are bored by Civil War era settings.

About this book

Smoke Jensen: The Beginning follows Kirby Jensen, the youngest of three children on a hardscrabble ranch in Southwestern Missouri on the eve of the Civil War. When shots are fired in Charleston harbor in 1861, Kirby's father and brother depart for war, leaving the Jensen family to navigate volatile years marked by Civil War battles, border state raids, and frontier violence. The novel chronicles Kirby's transformation from boyhood into manhood, shaped by violence and a desire for justice. He will become known as Smoke Jensen. The story incorporates actual historical events and legendary characters, tracing the early years of a figure central to Western frontier history.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$0.99 – $7.59

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 74% off peak. Price has dropped 13 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 157 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #45K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Sales have softened 85% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.6★ from 3,262 reviews

Gaining approximately 47 new reviews per month. Steady word of mouth growth. Rating has remained stable at 4.6 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $7.59.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.